Recent from talks
ROM hacking
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
ROM hacking
ROM hacking is the process of modifying a ROM image or ROM file to change or alter the contents contained within, usually of a video game to alter the game's graphics, dialogue, levels, gameplay, or other elements.
ROM hacking is usually done by technically inclined video game fans, often created as a fun way of playing the original games by redesigning the old game with new graphics, levels, items, mechanics and other features while keeping most if not all of the elements the same, effectively creating either an improved or an entirely different version of the original game. In this case, they are typically done to improve an old game of importance, as a creative outlet, or to essentially make new (unofficial) games using the old game's engine.
ROM hacking is generally accomplished through use of a hex editor (a program for editing non-textual data) and various specialized tools such as tile editors, and game-specific tools which are generally used for editing levels, items, and the like, although more advanced tools such as assemblers and debuggers are occasionally used. Once ready, they are usually distributed on the Internet for others to play on an emulator or a games console.
Fan translation (known as "translation hacking" within the ROM hacking community) is another type of ROM hacking; there are also anti-censorship hacks that exist to restore a game to its original state, which is often seen with older games that were imported, as publishers' content policies for video games (most notably, Nintendo's) were much stricter in the United States than Japan or Europe; randomizers are also available for certain games, which are designed to shuffle entity placements from within the games; some hacks are also created to unlock or reimplement features that exist in the game's code but are not used in-game, especially when rediscovering and restoring old beta content that was hidden away from the game's final release. Although much of the method applies to both types of hacking, this article focuses on "creative hacking" such as editing game levels.
Most hacking groups offer web space for hosting hacks and screenshots (sometimes only hosting hacks by the group's members and hosting almost any hack), a message board, and often have an IRC channel. Several hacking groups and individuals have also created guides for beginners to get into grips with ROM hacking for the first time, such as the Rom Hacking Bible for the NES that was written in the mid-to-late 1990s, as well as guides designed for those who wanted to learn how to add or change things from start to finish.
There are many sites on the internet dedicated to world of ROM hacking, with each of them focusing on several hacks and translations of games across multiple series, franchises and platforms. One of the most popular sites dedicated to ROM hacking of video games was ROMhacking.net, which first went online in late 2005. From its inception up until 2024, it served as a hub related to all things ROM hacking, hosting a repository of hacks, translations, utilities, documents, and patches for many well-known and obscure video games from the third generation up to the seventh generation. ROMhacking.com was the immediate predecessor of ROMhacking.net, which launched five years earlier in 2000 as "The Whirlpool" and was briefly renamed as ROMhacking.org between 2001 and 2002 before returning to its original name afterwards and then went offline in late 2004.
As of 1 August 2024[update], ROMhacking.net has been relegated into being a read-only news site for ROM hacking projects after transitioning into the new format on that day after nearly 20 years of hosting on the site due to various reasons beyond the site's control; its former database and files have been archived on the Internet Archive on the same day of the announcement. New submissions were also permanently closed on the same day as well, and all downloads on the site will remain available for as long as the site maintainers can handle. The spiritual successor to ROMhacking.net, Romhack.ing (RHDI), was launched as an alpha release on 15 August 2024, two weeks after ROMhacking.net transitioned into the read-only format, and then opened for public registration on 1 March 2025.
Having been created by many different programmers or programming teams, ROM data can be very diverse.
Hub AI
ROM hacking AI simulator
(@ROM hacking_simulator)
ROM hacking
ROM hacking is the process of modifying a ROM image or ROM file to change or alter the contents contained within, usually of a video game to alter the game's graphics, dialogue, levels, gameplay, or other elements.
ROM hacking is usually done by technically inclined video game fans, often created as a fun way of playing the original games by redesigning the old game with new graphics, levels, items, mechanics and other features while keeping most if not all of the elements the same, effectively creating either an improved or an entirely different version of the original game. In this case, they are typically done to improve an old game of importance, as a creative outlet, or to essentially make new (unofficial) games using the old game's engine.
ROM hacking is generally accomplished through use of a hex editor (a program for editing non-textual data) and various specialized tools such as tile editors, and game-specific tools which are generally used for editing levels, items, and the like, although more advanced tools such as assemblers and debuggers are occasionally used. Once ready, they are usually distributed on the Internet for others to play on an emulator or a games console.
Fan translation (known as "translation hacking" within the ROM hacking community) is another type of ROM hacking; there are also anti-censorship hacks that exist to restore a game to its original state, which is often seen with older games that were imported, as publishers' content policies for video games (most notably, Nintendo's) were much stricter in the United States than Japan or Europe; randomizers are also available for certain games, which are designed to shuffle entity placements from within the games; some hacks are also created to unlock or reimplement features that exist in the game's code but are not used in-game, especially when rediscovering and restoring old beta content that was hidden away from the game's final release. Although much of the method applies to both types of hacking, this article focuses on "creative hacking" such as editing game levels.
Most hacking groups offer web space for hosting hacks and screenshots (sometimes only hosting hacks by the group's members and hosting almost any hack), a message board, and often have an IRC channel. Several hacking groups and individuals have also created guides for beginners to get into grips with ROM hacking for the first time, such as the Rom Hacking Bible for the NES that was written in the mid-to-late 1990s, as well as guides designed for those who wanted to learn how to add or change things from start to finish.
There are many sites on the internet dedicated to world of ROM hacking, with each of them focusing on several hacks and translations of games across multiple series, franchises and platforms. One of the most popular sites dedicated to ROM hacking of video games was ROMhacking.net, which first went online in late 2005. From its inception up until 2024, it served as a hub related to all things ROM hacking, hosting a repository of hacks, translations, utilities, documents, and patches for many well-known and obscure video games from the third generation up to the seventh generation. ROMhacking.com was the immediate predecessor of ROMhacking.net, which launched five years earlier in 2000 as "The Whirlpool" and was briefly renamed as ROMhacking.org between 2001 and 2002 before returning to its original name afterwards and then went offline in late 2004.
As of 1 August 2024[update], ROMhacking.net has been relegated into being a read-only news site for ROM hacking projects after transitioning into the new format on that day after nearly 20 years of hosting on the site due to various reasons beyond the site's control; its former database and files have been archived on the Internet Archive on the same day of the announcement. New submissions were also permanently closed on the same day as well, and all downloads on the site will remain available for as long as the site maintainers can handle. The spiritual successor to ROMhacking.net, Romhack.ing (RHDI), was launched as an alpha release on 15 August 2024, two weeks after ROMhacking.net transitioned into the read-only format, and then opened for public registration on 1 March 2025.
Having been created by many different programmers or programming teams, ROM data can be very diverse.